Parker Bauman, a first-year student in the College of Medicine, contributed the following article as one of the educational initiatives sponsored by the NEOMED’s Student Wellness Committee as part of their peer-support series on the eight dimensions of wellness. The eight dimensions that this student and staff committee supports include: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social and spiritual wellness. The concept of eight dimensions of wellness comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a U.S. government agency.
Hi everyone! With summer coming up and the academic year coming to a close, I feel like now is a great time for the NEOMED community to step back and give ourselves gratitude for all we have accomplished this year.
Being a graduate student can be overwhelming, as we are constantly in pursuit of a goal that can seem very far away. With many of our long-term goals being years down the road, it can be hard to thank yourself in the moment.
Some methods I use to try to remind myself to enjoy the process and maintain my wellness daily include:
Using food as fuel
Living by the idea that you eat to live and don’t live to eat can change the way you feel on a daily basis. Taking the time to think about how the food you ate made you feel and then eating the things that make you feel energized can be life changing. It seems simple, but slowing down and actively thinking about what you are putting into your body can drastically improve your day. If you feel you need help with your nutrition, you can reach out to Sequoia Wellness for a free 15-minute nutrition consult with a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Healthy sleep practices
A good day truly starts with the day before when it comes to how you sleep. When life gets increasingly busy, I feel as though it is not presumptuous to say that getting enough sleep is difficult, whether due to anxiety or simply not having enough time. Habits such as going to sleep and waking up at the same time, avoiding blue light 30 minutes before sleep, and taking the time to decompress from school before trying to sleep are methods I have used to improve my sleep.
Exercise
I believe that the steps you take daily to maintain your physical well-being are of the utmost importance for continued holistic wellness. With the increasingly warm weather, now is a great time to get outside and get some fresh air on a walk. Sunlight and moving your body are unmatched methods for boosting your mood.
Scheduling your day
With increasingly busy schedules the likelihood of letting a portion of your wellness slip is high. I am here to tell you that it is completely normal and very difficult to avoid. Writing down a manageable set of goals daily allows me not to get overwhelmed and feel as though I have accomplished something at the end of the day.
Giving yourself gratitude for small wins
Lastly, give yourself gratitude every day. I do this by saying something I’m proud that I did that day. Going into professions that have so much delayed gratification, it is sometimes hard to see how great every one of us is doing every day. Taking this time to congratulate myself for the small wins allows me to believe that I am one step closer to achieving my goals and enjoying the process along the way.